Xbible’s approach is security through ambiguity. It requires a password, but our product is shipped without documentation, and it was intercepted no one would know its real purpose, IT professionals would easily see there is an encrypted storage volume in it. The password is supplied to the user via email or separately mailed piece of mail. Users should absolutely not carry an xbible USB flash drive into airport or border of a hostile country with any kind of printed of documentation.

Truecrypt’s web site decided to issue a statement telling their audience not to use Truecrypt any more and to use a new heavily crippled version (7.2) to open their Truecrypt volumes and move their data to another type of product.

Here’s why this statement is fishy:-

There is a recommendation to use the similar “Bit Locker” product, which comes with Windows 7 Pro and Ultimate and 8 Pro editions only, Truecrypt works on any Windows, Mac or Linux computer and is free. Bitlocker isn’t free and can’t be used for a non-profit project like us. Our project is intended for any PC running XP, Vista, 7 or 8.

It refers to Windows XP official support being discontinued (which is true) why does this have anything to do with Truecrypt? Its an independently written product that works on all three major computing platforms, not limited to a discontinued 2001 version of Windows.

All the discussion forums are gone, there was lots of clever enthusiasts helping other people with assisting with using this type of security software.

A recent audit of the software, the first stage done just a few weeks ago, funded by donations declared Truecrypt to have no significant issues.

Our conclusion is this extremely useful tool for protecting sensitive files has been sabotaged, as the web site appears hijacked with a poisoned version, as some IT journalists have flagged this version as containing malware.

Some people might concerned that we use Truecrypt. This software is fine for this purpose. We only use the previous most trusted version, 7.1A. Any software is going to have flaws, but this is less risky then if we release the xbible with all the content undisguised, as we really want to see this bible software used in countries where spreading the gospel is illegal.

Whoever did this has probably succeed at destroying the reputation of this fine application and the documentation and the download of the previous version, which you can get 7.1 from here.

We’d like to see someone take over Truecrypt with a new version or a derivative, and host and support it in a fashion to show it hasn’t been tampered with and that the code is transparent.

Xbible development will continue as the only encrypted collection of electronic bibles to be used in countries where the gospel is not welcome.

to put these bibles on your iPod or iPhone, here’s some simple instructions:-

You can click from the blue diamond symbol, and select “show MP3 bible sets to copy” here you can see I’ve open this folder, you will need to open another folder which holds your iTunes music.

See the the red box I have highlighted? There is a folder in your “Music” folder (Windows Vista, 7 or 8) or “My Music” (Windows XP) you need to navigate to iTunes, then iTunes Media, then Automatically add to iTunes. This is the place to drag a single folder full of audio content to here.

After this has been copied across, you will see that the folder appears to have vanished!

Why is this? If iTunes has been configured correctly, it has already moved all the files into the main database of music. You will notice the folder called “Not Added” I think this is for tracks that are duplicate or corrupted.

Let’s open iTunes:-

I’ve opened up iTunes and I’ve highlighted the search I have done for the Turkish audio bible I have just copied. All the content has here cataloged with all my other music.

If you click on “Show MP3 file sets to copy” and also “Burn an MP3 CD”

We can copy the particular set using the DVD writer drive on most desktop computers and some laptop computers.

Drag the folder with language of your choice to the white space as shown

Click the Disc with pencil icon, as shown which is the third from the left.

When you have a blank disc in the drive, click OK

Don’t change any of the options or tick boxes.

Wait a short while…

You might need to reclose the DVD drive drawer….

I turn on my TV and the DVD player shows a folder on the disc….

Using my DVD remote I can easily select which verse to play…

So there you have it, you can supply an audio bible using my own computer to give to a friend or neighbor who doesn’t have a computer but would like to listen to the gospel on a normal television and DVD player.

This disc is not a normal audio CD but an MP3 CD, it may also be playable on some recent car CD players and some household hifi systems.

Many different organizations who have some kind of recording studio trust Audacity.

Audacity is a professional grade but free product for audio recording, and has many uses to record a sermon or music performance.

The great news is Audacity is included and can run straight off your Xbible USB flash drive. So if you are at a church meeting and someone has a word of knowledge or prophecy, or you need something taped unexpectedly, the church’s computer can be quickly set up to record important content at short notice.

It’s actually pretty simple to operate, just need to make sure you have the right input sources for recording.

Last week was Yom Kippor, the day of the Atonement where Jewish people fast. This week is Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles.

Where as Jesus fulfilled the law, the traditional Jewish feasts should be still celebrated by Jewish people today including those who know Jesus as their Messiah. John 7 : 2 mentions this event.

Today we are about to finish work but listen to some Messianic Jewish worship music using one of our playlists of radio stations. We also have Arabic, Persian, Turkish, English and French radio also!!

This uses the included VLC player included and is very simple to use. This teaching and music is in English, Hebrew and Russian. Meanwhile many Christians are travelling to Jerusalem this week to worship at this event. The Feast of Tabernacles event is put on by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem each year.

Its our desire this will help draw more Jewish people into praise and worship of our Yeshua HaMoshiach!!! (Jesus the Messiah)

The xbible project is about putting the word of God on a low cost USB flash drive. The gives the advantage of sending a lot of information in a tiny package which keeps shipping costs nice and low. Multiple books are available which are handy for those who speak two, three or more languages.

It also means the bible can be spread to countries where the gospel is not welcome, for example much of the Islamic world. The product has the contents encrypted, and the startup process requires a password to see the content, making the product’s purpose not obvious, as there are no files kept to what it does.

For the persecuted church

Designed for discrete operation, you could carry bibles and ministry tools through an airport/border crossing into a nation where evangelism is not welcome

A gift for a friend in your neighbourhood or someone in you met on the internet who is taking an interest in Christianity who comes from a different religious background

Disciple new Christians who live in places where bible distribution is not common

Something for Christians from other countries working (there are many people from Philippines or Thailand working as nurses and care workers) in Gulf Arab countries where it might be not be easy to bring a bible into the country

To reconcile Jews and Arabs through the message of Jesus, we also hope it helps Sunni and Shiite Muslim Arabs as well as Turks, Persians and Kurds in a region of the world where relations have been difficult.

For the illiterate or blind. Bibles available as MP3 audio format. Listen on the stick using included player, or copy to your phone or burn a disc.

Christians who have a curiosity in technology and how the scriptures can be distributed in a way for hostile places

Not all content is reliant on live internet connection, this makes it ideal for communities where broadband adoption, wireless hotspots and 3G/4G is costly or not common

Low cost for small ministry budgets and to be cheap enough for casual purchase by the ordinary Christian public